


Gensokyo Festival 2020 Any%

by Amicable_Stone



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:04:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22975816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amicable_Stone/pseuds/Amicable_Stone
Summary: How many days will I do? Who knows! (two if you're lucky)
Kudos: 13





	1. Day 1: Beginnings (Not an ending)

The Moriya shrine rarely had visitors but Sanae knew she shouldn’t eavesdrop, the spot near the entrance just needed extra sweeping today, is all.

“All I’m saying is that the clock is ticking.” The visitor spoke like she was delivering a punchline but nobody was laughing.

Kanako replied in a pointedly even tone “Is that a threat?”

Sanae stole the briefest of glances through the entryway, the newcomer might have been European, or maybe that was just the blond hair, not that Sanae could throw stones. In any case, her voice still had a mirthful edge.

“An observation. I’ll get out of your hair for now, but remember, the position won’t be open forever.”

Sanae tensed, waiting for the stranger to pass by her hiding spot. Nothing happened for a moment and she realized that she never saw this person enter the shrine either. She was debating whether it was safe to move again when Kanako called from inside, “Come on in Sanae, I know you’re out there”

She walked into the building with her head down, ready to apologize.

“Save it,” there was warmth in the wind god’s voice, “you should be a part of this conversation”

Sanae looked around the room, Kanako was still siting near the center and Suwako waved cheerily at her from a corner, but her other hand was clenched in a fist. There was no sign of the blond woman.

“That was a representative for a…” Kanako searched for the word, “sanctuary for youkai.”

Sanae wanted to say ‘Youkai aren’t real’ but she reminded herself that she was talking to the two gods that raised her, so she settled on “Does a place like that really exist?”

“Many do, actually. Fear is almost as rare as faith in the modern age. Before the youkais’ power completely disappeared several distinct groups managed to carve out there own realms around isolated villages where conditions where more favorable.” Kanako explained.

“Most don’t have people going door-to-door like they’re selling shoddy knives, though” Suwako interjected.

“This particular realm, Gensokyo,” Kanako continued unabated, “is somewhat unique in that order is maintained both by youkai in the know, like that woman, and a handful of powerful humans.”

Sanae nodded along, though honestly it was a lot to take in, “Is that the ‘position’ she was talking about?”

Kanako shook her head as she stood up, “Apparently some of the more eusocial species are butting heads, best case scenario is the realm is more vulnerable to foreign invaders while they have their spat, worst case: full on civil war. We’re to shore up defenses and try to arbitrate the conflict.”

“Dumb muscle and playing babysitter to a bunch of man-eaters.” translated Suwako.

Sanae paled at the joke but kept her eyes on Kanako, “If they where really cannibals you wouldn’t have let that woman just walk away…or whatever she did!”

She sighed with a smile that either said ‘You know me too well’ or ‘You give me too much credit’. “’Cannibal’ isn’t the right word, but you’re right, by all accounts Gensokyo is remarkably safe for a youkai realm, that’s why I’m even considering this, however our congregation would still not be human and we can’t forget that.”

Now Sanae’s head was spinning. “Wait, would that even work? If it could why do the youkai even need humans? Why don’t they just like…sit in a circle and believe in each other?”

That earned a croak of laughter from Suwako, though Sanae thought it was a legitimate question.

Kanako put a hand on the girl’s shoulder to try and steady her. “Belief can only be generated by humans, but the believed in can cultivate it and pass it on themselves, however…”

“A human worshiped as a god by youkai, who knows what would happen to you!” Suwako laughed again, “but you definitely wouldn’t stay human for long!”

Kanako shot the cackling god a dirty look over her shoulder while Sanae found herself completely tongue tied. Who would she be if she wasn’t human? Would she still even be herself? But…

“I think we should go”

Suwako stopped laughing and Kanako couldn’t keep the surprised look off her face.

“This is the opportunity we’ve been looking for, and the last thing I want to do is hold you two back, and”, she took a breath, “I’ve always been more god than human anyway.”

Kanako squeezed her shoulder affectionately, “That’s very brave of you but there’s still a lot of things to consider. It’s not a decision to be made lightly”

Suddenly, Suwako slammed open the back door leading to the lake. “I disagree. It’s a terrible idea and we shouldn’t do it.” She walked out into the wilderness. “Decision made.”

* * *

By the time Sanae found Suwako, sitting on the far side of the lake skipping stones, the sun had almost started to set.

She wanted to apologize, but wasn’t sure for what.

“You where supposed to say you didn’t want to go, she would have listened to you.” Suwako said dejectedly as her descendant approached. “Though, I guess that’s what I get for pushing you like that. I forget how stubborn you can be sometimes.”

“I’m sorry, but I meant what I said. Also … when that woman said time was running out, she was taking about you wasn’t she?”

“So what if she was?” She tossed another stone. “My time will come when it comes, you shouldn’t be worried about it.”

“But I am worried! If you were to throw your life away for my sake I wouldn’t be able to live with myself!”

“Enough!” Suwako hurled a rock overhead and where it landed the lake boiled with unseen bodies. “Have I gotten so weak that I no longer get a say in where I die!”

Sanae took a step back, she could count on one hand the number of times she had seen the lake god this upset.

Suwako sighed and the water calmed. “I’m sorry Sanae, but this isn’t about you. The truth is this isn’t the first time I’ve seen the games this woman is playing.” She shifted on the ground so they were facing each other.

“A long, long time ago a bunch of hoity toity gods decided they were too good for human followers so they went around demanding a tithe from every local god they could find.

“Kanako refused of course, but these gods where tough and she ended up having to flee Suwa. She was able to live on the lamb for a while, until she caught wind that an old thorn in her side,”-Suwako flicked a thumb at herself-”had used her absence to take over her home.

“So she returned to Suwa, deposed the despot, tried to face the gods head on, and lost, hard.” She looked down, “things got really bad after that. When you try to go against the natural order of things people always get hurt, and it’s never the ones who deserve it. I refuse to be the reason Kanako walks into that kind of hell. Not again. If I did, well,” she looked at Sanae darkly with too-large eyes, “I just wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

“That’s quite enough.”

They both jumped at the noise. For someone who had to duck through doorways, Kanako had a knack for sneaking up on people.

“Sanae, be a dear and go see if you can’t dig up some of your old textbooks. If we play our cards right we may be able to win over the humans as well, but to do that you have some homework to do.”

Sanae made her exit with a confused look on her face, unsure of how much of that request was a joke.

Suwako looked up at the taller god, “What happened to your ‘things to consider’?”

“The biggest unknown was why you where so against the idea. Now that I know that scaring our child and throwing a fit was just your idea of protecting me I don’t see why we can’t move forward.”

“You do realize that this ‘youkai civil war’ is trumped up nonsense, right? She wants you around because she’s picking a fight with the amatsukami.”

“I’m not afraid of the heavenly gods.” Kanako sat next to her partner and faced the setting sun. “And this time I won’t be alone.”

Suwako groaned. “Fine, you win. I want to be clear that I still think this is a bad idea, but”-she raised a finger-”I think getting out of the house some will be good for Sanae, and”-she raised another finger-”I know better than to try and stop you when you have a plan. Even if that plan is what, uniting humans and youkai under the banner of AP chemistry?”

“Physics, actually. And that’s only step one, the plan is the same as always:” a reptilian hunger flashed behind her eyes, “Save the world.”

Suwako laughed genuinely and let herself flop onto her back, “And get rich doing it!”


	2. Day 12: Solidarity and Sisterhood (Not so little part 1)

From the yard behind the Hakurei shrine came the faintest tinkling of bells, followed by a loud thump.

“I think you did a little better that time” said Reimu in her best attempt at supportive.

“That was because I jumped” said Kosuzu in a heap in front of a small step ladder.

“Well, next time jump harder.”

“You know,” Kosuzu propped herself up by her arms, “I was pretty excited when you said you where going to teach me how to fly, but now it almost feels like you’re just making fun of me.”

Reimu offered a hand to help her up, “I’m sorry, but there really isn’t much for me to teach. The way it feels is different for everybody, so there’s nothing for it but to just keep trying until you find the way the works for you.”

“Right…” Kosuzu sounded skeptical as she climbed the ladder again.

“I’m serious. I don’t think of anything but Marisa thinks of everything: ‘wind speed’ and ‘air resistance’ and ‘humidity’ and ‘ground topography’ and a hundred other little things that even she admits don’t make any sense.”

“You don’t think anything?” Kosuzu asked balanced precariously on top of the step ladder.

She nodded, “I just ignore the ground and float away. Watch.” she closed her eyes and held her arms out to her sides. Slowly, she started to rise into the air.

Despite the bruises this exercise was definitely going to give her, Kosuzu had to admit that it was just about the coolest thing she had ever seen. She was still a little annoyed though. “Earth! Down Ground!”

Reimu opened her eyes with a smirk about a meter off the ground. “Nice try, but I’ve been doing this for longer than you’ve been walking. It’ll take more than that to trip me up.”

Kosuzu clicked her tongue in mock disappointment, “Worth a shot.” After a moment’s hesitation, she closed her eyes, copied Reimu’s pose, tried to clear her mind, took a breath, and stepped into the air.

Somehow, she stayed there.

She wasn’t ignoring the ground but she wasn’t thinking about its topography either. There was definitely something darting around the back of her head, something intimately familiar, nostalgic even, yet she couldn’t quite make it out. She tried to grab it, to make it clear, but the instant it came into focus it disappeared, and she fell flat on her face.

Reimu rushed to her side and helped her sit up. “You had it!”

“I lost it! I have no idea what I did and I didn’t even break my fall and … and …” she snorted back tears “… and that really hurt.”

“Oh, let me look at you.” Reimu cooed sympathetically, she gently held Kosuzu’s chin to better see her cheek, which was covered in dirt and had started to bleed. “Come on, let’s get this cleaned up.”

As they walked to the nearby well, Reimu noticed a small dark shape in the sky, “I think we picked a perfect time for a break anyway. It looks like your next instructor is on her way.”

* * *

The first thing Marisa did when she landed was pull out props, so after Kosuzu had her wound washed and bandaged, she found herself sitting on a small stool holding a truly ancient slate (and no chalk) facing Marisa, who stood behind a rickety-looking lectern.

Both of Marisa’s arms where posed dramatically holding the sides of the podium. “The first thing you need to know about magic,” she began, “is that it’s impossible.

“The thing that unites the things that I do, that Reimu does, that you do, and that the folks in the outside world do,” as she spoke she made an all-encompassing gesture with one hand, and without the support that side the lectern fell away, “is the fact that a person should not be able to do them.

“So how do you do the impossible? There are several methods, but the easiest is to find something you are so good at that you can use it to punch through the limitations of the world!

“Whether it’s an inherited trait, a learned skill, or a mastered magical item, it’s the seed from which your powers grow. When you hear people talking about their ‘ability’ this is generally what they mean.”

Kosuzu raised her hand, feeling only a little bit silly.

“Yes, you in the front.” Marisa pointed with her other hand, letting the rest of the lectern collapse.

“Akyuu told me that ‘abilities’ are self-reported and don’t really mean anything.”

At this point, Marisa abandoned the ruins of the lectern and started meandering around the yard. “That’s ‘cause they are and they don’t, ‘least not to anyone but the person doing the reporting.”

She settled on a rock not far from her pupil, “The truth is that most magic-users end up drawing power from a whole ton of different sources, but it’s important to think of them all as one thing, whatever form that ‘thing’ ends up taking.” She taped her temple, “A lot of magic boils down to perspective and what mental space your in.”

Kosuzu shifted awkwardly on her stool until they where facing each other, “So you’re saying nobody will be able to give me a straight answer on what I’m supposed to do.”

“Well, that isn’t strictly true; if you’re speaking generally,” Marisa scratched the back of her neck contemplatively, “us magicians have the right perspective to teach our kind magic, but it takes a real long time, plus you already have your own ability coloring the way you see magic. Even if I taught you everything I know you probably couldn’t use any of it.”

Kosuzu sighed, “Don’t get me wrong, I love being able to read whatever I want but I don’t think my ability is suited for flying around and shooting youkai”

“You might be surprised, but if you’re feeling stuck you could always go back to the source of your ability and see if you can squeeze something else from it.”

“The source?” Marisa’s list hadn’t included ‘just something you woke up with one day.’

Marisa shrugged, “Could have been anything: a drop of youkai blood in your family tree, exposure to something arcane, maybe you managed to preform the right ritual in your dreams. Figuring out what it was could be useful even if it doesn’t end up giving you a free power-up,” she glanced at the position of the sun, “though maybe we should call that homework. You’re supposed to be at work soon and Reimu and me have a hootenanny to prepare for.”

* * *

With Marisa’s help, Kosuzu made it back to Suzunaan with time to spare, not that it mattered much, traffic was low in the best of times and with the harvest going on nobody was going to be borrowing books. Since she was hoping to have to explain her plaster to as few people as possible, Kosuzu was willing to count that as a blessing today.

It was late in the afternoon when the familiar face of the day’s first customer walked in. More accurately, the customer was familiar but it had actually been a while since Kosuzu had seen that particular face.

“You’re certainly here early Miss…” she cut herself off at the last second.

Mamizou Futatsuiwa put a playful finger up to the lips of her human disguise, “There’s nothing more boring than keeping normal hours, deary, and I happen to have an important date tonight.”

“Oh, are you going to Reimu’s party?”

Mamizou visibly deflated from loss of mystique as she approached the counter, “And how do you know about that, little lady? More importantly, what happened to your face?!”

Kosuzu shrunk back, suddenly self-conscious, “It’s nothing, I just fell playing by the wall.”

“Little old to be gamboling about, aren’t we?”

“Um, mind writing that one down?” Kosuzu laughed nervously.

Mamizou leaned forward just enough to be intimidating, “I appreciate the effort, but you’d have to get up pretty early in the morning to pull one over on me, so cut the horsefeathers and tell me who scuffed my favorite little bell.”

Kosuzu put her hands up in a mild panic. She remembered what had happened when Mamizou found out she’d been having trouble with a bully, the poor kid’s family was still cleaning out tanuki fur. “It’s nothing like that! Reimu and Marisa have been teaching me to fly and I just haven’t gotten the hang of it yet.”

Mamizou leaned back, seemingly satisfied, “Earning your wings, eh? How’s that working out for you? Beyond the marring I mean.”

“Honestly? It feels like the whole thing was designed specifically to make asking questions and getting meaningful answers back impossible.”

“That’s definitely the way of it, sometimes,” Mamizou nodded sagely, “but I have an ear if you have the inclination.”

She thought for a moment, “I guess the main thing that’s puzzling me is that Marisa said doing things like that would be an extension of my ability, but I was able to fly for a second and it didn’t feel like that at all. It was more like someone was helping me, someone I knew but couldn’t recognize for some reason.” She looked at Mamizou, “It wasn’t you, was it?”

The bake-danuki laughed, “You got me! Giving folks invisible piggyback rides and then dropping them on there faces has always been how I got my kicks! Japes aside, I’d recommend taking everything that witch says with a grain of salt, a magician can look at just about anyone and see a failed magician.”

Kosuzu groaned, “There’s that word again. The way I ‘see’ it everyone else ‘sees’ exactly where they need to go and who they need to be, but what if what I ‘see’ right now is all I ever will?”

Mamizou ruffled the girl’s hair in a way that would have been demeaning coming from anybody but her, “Listen here, Suzy, and I’ll let you in on a little secret: growing up is all one giant confidence trick. If anyone looks like they know what they’re doing, they’re putting on a show, myself included.

“Once upon a time, I was just a mangy little thing that could only think about getting enough food for winter, and now I’m here having the time of my life surrounded by friends and family, things I quite literally could not have dreamed of before. That wasn’t a plan, I didn’t have a map, I just kept putting one paw in-front of another.

“Look, your peepers are mighty special but they’re not your be-all-end-all, and they’re not why we’re behind you. Me, and Marisa, and Reimu, and the whole gang are all thinking the same thing: that you can do anything you set your mind to. That’s not a matter of perspective, it’s a cold, hard, fact.”

Kosuzu had her eyes squarely on the counter and was blushing furiously, “Thank you Miss Mamizou… I think I needed to hear that.”

Mamizou held her head up high, “Always happy to help. Now then,” she reached into her pocket for what was only probably a bundle of leaves, “about my overdues…”


	3. Day 15: Changing Times (Not so little part 2)

When Marisa returned from the village, Reimu had prepared lunch. They really did have a lot to get ready, but there was always time for tea.

“So, what do you think?” asked Reimu after they had settled in on the front steps of the shrine, “about Kosuzu, I mean.”

“She’s definitely a smart kid, curious and attentive, but she’s got herself convinced that this is all way harder than it is.”

Reimu nodded. To a point, that was to be expected. Kosuzu had spent her whole life up until this point hearing larger than life stories about incidents and duels in the sky, and now she had to accept that she was a part of that world.

“On the other hand,” Marisa continued, “she’s got a ton of potential, and if she’s already started to fly after just a day of trying…It’s more than I could do on my own at her age.”

Reimu raised a wry eyebrow, “Really? And to think, she didn’t even have to consort with any strange ghosts to do it.”

Marisa laughed “Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do, we can’t all be prodigies.”

It was Reimu’s turn to laugh, “You say that like it was all easy for me. I needed help in the beginning too, you know.”

“Oh yeah, your training wheels, I forgot about him! How’s the old fart doing, nowadays?”

Reimu smiled warmly, “Genji is currently enjoying a peaceful retirement, I’m happy to say.”

They lapsed into a contented silence, that was broken when Marisa set down her empty teacup.

“Okay, now tell me what’s really going on. Why the sudden interest in Kosuzu’s progress? Up until now you’ve been happy to let her figure it out on her own.”

Reimu looked down, “It’s just that calling her the ‘little sister of the incident resolvers’ only protects her from the rabble around here, that won’t work against the moon, or hell, or Seija.” she spat the name and then sighed into her teacup. “It feels like every year the world gets a little more dangerous and I’m just not sure if I can keep up. Some guardian I am, can’t even protect one little girl so I ask her to do it herself.”

Marisa punched her friend in the arm. “Don’t give me that. As the number two ‘guardian’ around here I’m uniquely qualified to say that Kosuzu and Gensokyo are both in the best hands possible,” she stood up, “and besides, you know that as soon as she finds out it’s an option, she’s going to throw on that little apron and dive straight into hell. Might as well make sure she can defend herself before that happens.”

* * *

The ‘night shift’ at Suzunaan was even more quiet than the day had been. It was always like this when Reimu threw her parties, not everyone went of course, but a lot of the big names did, so all of the little names felt like they could stretch their legs. On nights like this one you could find any number of smaller, seedier gathering dotted around Gensokyo.

Kosuzu knew she should be using this opportunity to catch up on sleep, but she simply had too much on her mind, and when she couldn’t sleep, she read. So with just one candle (to not wake her parents), Kosuzu sat behind the counter (on the off chance a customer did show up), flicking through a field guide to a place called Makai, allegedly the ancestral home of the Tengu.

Kosuzu stopped dead. The way flying felt, the source of her ability, her peepers. She could have kicked herself for not putting it all together sooner. She closed the field guide and gave the cover an appreciative tap, then she set off hunting through the shelves.

Suzunaan had always had youma books; her parents tend to buy in bulk from scavengers and there was nothing particularly unusual about an ‘import’ nobody could read. For just as long, Kosuzu had been drawn to them, she could remember pouring over the strange letters and fanciful drawings before she could understand kanji, let alone high tengu. She had no idea if it was the work of just one, or an effect of growing up around so many, but there was now no doubt in her mind that she had these books to thank for her eyes.

By definition, a youma book is anything written by a youkai, in the modern era they are also almost always the last remaining evidence of their authors’ and subjects’ existences. For a youkai, to be know is to live, so when a youma book is read, its contents are brought to life in a very real way. Some of the books see their new lives as prison and, after a few missteps, Kosuzu had learned to appreciate those types form a safe distance. Most, however, where like the well-worn tome she pulled from a back shelf and practically glowed with gratitude when they where read.

It was the personal memoir of a Tengu scout, if you where feeling particularly uncharitable, you could call it the predecessor to the Bunbunmaru. It didn’t offer any dark secrets or mystical powers, so it wasn’t checked out very often, but it was still one of Kosuzu’s favorites.

She carefully scanned through the dogeared pages. Accompanying bombastic accounts of the scout’s daily life where a number of hasty sketches and there, near the beginning, was a self portrait. It was exactly the figure she had seen when she was flying.

“I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you earlier” Kosuzu whispered only a little self-consciously to the image, “but thank you for helping me.”

Book in hand, she returned to the counter and, before she could think better of it, climbed on top. She took a breath and made for the edge.

She stopped just short. The floor of the shop would be much less forgiving than the shrine’s yard, and the noise would definitely wake her parents. That was not a conversation she wanted to have.

She was about to climb down, but then remembered what Mamizou had said. Instead, she griped the memoir close to her chest and tried to hold on to the image of the scout in her mind. She took a step forward.

From the darkened storefront of Suzunaan came the faintest tinkling of bells.


End file.
